Highway To Heaven: The Trumpet Resounds
by SongOfStars
Summary: Jonathan is at last called back to heaven, but not before leaving Mark with a warning of what was to come. The Boss offers Mark a deal which, if accepted, would make Mark a major player in the Final Events of Earth's history. Now, Mark must prepare both himself & others for the great glorious appearing despite the threat of the New World Order.
1. Chapter 1

**Highway To Heaven: The Trumpet Resounds**

 **Disclaimers:** I don't own anything….yeah, I'll let yalls keep thinking that! MWAHAHA

 **AN:** A little last episode I thought up to close off the ending of Highway To Heaven to reunite Mark & Jonathan in the great glorious day of the Lord.

 _ **PLEASE READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF MY PROFILE BEFORE READING THIS STORY. THANKS! : )**_

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 **Summary:** Jonathan is at last called back to heaven, but not before leaving Mark with a warning of what was to come. The Boss offers Mark a deal which, if accepted, would make Mark a major player in the Final Events of Earth's history. Now, Mark must prepare both himself & others for the great glorious appearing despite the threat of the New World Order.

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(Remember: read the first paragraph of my profile before continuing. Thanks.)

 _ **(AN:**_ _Before anyone comments with 'It won't happen that way or the other.' I have not written this to promote one belief over the other. Some believe Rapture, some don't. Some believe the true Sabbath vs. Sunday will play a role. Some don't. Most agree the microchip will be a part of it. What I did do is only use the beliefs mentioned in the series. Both characters have used the 7_ _th_ _day Sabbath twice so that will be mentioned here. Both actors, Victor French & Michael Landon, were Jews with Michael also having a Catholic background while Victor was Jewish in belief as well (which is why the name Jesus only showed up once in the series by the way as both would use the word Boss instead so as not to clash Jewish & Catholic beliefs). Neither mention Rapture as being part of the events in the series, so I have gone with the non-Rapture belief system. Hope that clears things up.)_

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 **(1) The Sharp Edge**

"Mark. Mark!"

Mark grunted & opened one eye. Not being able to see anyway, he removed his hat from his face to send Jonathan a glare. "Wha—" He was about to complain but the old car hit a pothole, making him bounce a little. He sat up, noticing it was night. He had a sinking feeling he wasn't going to get any more sleep tonight if Jonathan suddenly had another assignment. "What?"

Jonathan slowed the car to a stop at the light near to the next town. "We'll stop in here for the night."

Mark suddenly felt hopeful. Food & sleep! "Our assignment is here?"

"We don't have one yet," Jonathan said. "All I'm told is that we should stop here for the night."

Fully awake, Mark stretched a little in his seat as Jonathan turned the car towards the town. "Alright! Hopefully they'll have some good food!"

Jonathan laughed at him. "Mark you always find good food. Like a bloodhound."

"Cute," Mark grumbled. "I know we've been working together for over seven years, but don't you ever miss it?"

Jonathan shook his head. "Nah I don't need it. Why miss it?"

"Right," Mark muttered. He knew there were precious few times when the angel would share a meal or a drink with someone but it was rare & only to appear human when he didn't want to reveal his true nature.

Jonathan parked the car in front of a motel. "I'll get a room while—"

"I get some supper!" Mark finished, hurrying out of the car. "Sure you don't want me to pick up some holy water & a wafer from a church?" He teased.

"Mark!" Jonathan glared for a moment but ended up laughing. Mark turned away to leave but Jonathan clapped a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Their eyes met & Mark couldn't help but notice that Jonathan suddenly seemed concerned, almost worried. The angel leaned in & whispered, "You will hear the trumpet resound." They stepped away from each other, staring. Both appeared stunned. "I don't know what that meant," Jonathan said quietly. "I was just supposed to tell you that."

"Maybe it has something to do with our next assignment," Mark offered.

Jonathan stared off into space for a moment, then shook his head. "No." He headed inside to the office without another word.

Mark headed down the street & around the corner to a small restaurant alone. Despite his earlier plans, he ended up only ordering a small meal of a burger & salad. He finished it there & headed out to go back to the motel. Before reaching the corner, Mark slowed & glanced around. His cop senses that had never died due to working with Jonathan all these years screamed inside him & he felt as if someone or something was watching him.

Mark moved away from the turn & made his way towards the restaurant once more. He saw a shadow move out the corner of his eye & stopped dead in his tracks. After a moment of watching, Mark called softly, "Jonathan?" There was no answer. Mark moved towards the restaurant again, intending to stay in a public place. He turned down the street beside the restaurant, keeping the nearest late night store in sight, a small gas station up ahead. Mark stopped frozen once more. He felt something coming up behind him. "Jonathan what are you do—?" Mark whipped around to meet the angel face to face.

But it wasn't Jonathan looking at him. Another man was coming for him, hand raised, holding a dagger. Mark's eyes went wide when he realized he was about to be stabbed in a second & had no time to react. Next moment, Jonathan was there between them, holding Mark firmly, using his own body as a shield. The blade pierced Jonathan through the back between his shoulder blades. For a moment, Mark didn't worry. People had hit, shot at, thrown things at the angel countless times with no luck. A stabbing wouldn't hurt him. But then he saw pain in his friend's eyes & Jonathan's grip became hard enough to hurt Mark. Jonathan slowly went limp in Mark's arms. The man wrenched his dagger away & ran. Mark yelled at him, wanting to run after him but something was wrong with Jonathan & he couldn't just leave him either.

Mark helped the angel down to the ground. Jonathan leaned sideways on one hip, panting. When Mark put a hand to the angel's back, he felt something wet. "Are you bleeding? What is the Boss doing?"

Jonathan managed to look up at Mark & said in a shaky breath. "This is not the Boss's work."

Mark looked Jonathan over & was about to say something but then, Jonathan disappeared into thin air. Mark looked up to the stars. "Take care of him so he can hurry back." He ran back the way he had come, keeping his eyes open for their attacker, but he made it back to the room without further incident. Mark lay on the bed, expecting Jonathan to return during the night once he was healed. He couldn't sleep, wondering what on earth could harm an angel. He wanted to go out looking for the man with the dagger but knew better by now. When dealing with something supernatural, it was best to have Jonathan by his side, so he waited for him to come back.

Morning came instead. Mark jerked himself out of a fitful doze, then looked around uneasily. He was still alone. Mark went to the window to see if maybe the car was gone, but the old silver dented rust bucket was still there. He let the curtain fall, stepping away from the window as if avoiding someone seeing him. He had hoped Jonathan would be back by now. After waiting another hour, Mark decided to go out around the town to see if he could find any information on who had tried to kill him during the night, not to mention why.

He took the car, feeling safer after he locked all the doors once he was inside. He didn't worry about the angel getting in since the guy had a nasty habit of just blatantly appearing whether he was welcome or not, which annoyed Mark every time. There was no use arguing about it either. He knew that the angel got a derided sense of amusement every single time & there was no way to repay him in kind; though it was not for lack of trying on Mark's part. He only hoped Jonathan was nice enough to not freak him out while he was driving.

Mark drove around for half the day, but no one had seen anyone lurking about with a weapon on them. Jonathan didn't appear in the car either & he was not at their room when Mark returned shortly after lunch.

He stayed in that town for two weeks, partly to find the one with the dagger, but more & more, it was for waiting around for Jonathan who had yet to appear. Mark was starting to worry. What if Jonathan couldn't be healed? Shot through his mind. Mark immediately dismissed such a folly. Nothing was impossible for the Boss. So why hadn't Jonathan returned then?

After two weeks waiting, Mark was nearing his wits end. There had been no sign or word about Jonathan. Mark was also feeling an increasing sense of urgency to leave that place. He wasn't used to striking out on his own, but during the night, he suddenly woke up fast, got out of bed & left before dawn. He drove fast until the town was about two hours behind him, then he slowed to well below the speed limit. He pulled to the side of the road & stopped. After a moment, he got out & went to the front of the car to lean back onto it as he looked around. The road was long & empty. To one side, a small river rushed along. "Ok Boss. Where is Jonathan? Not even a note? Come on. Give me something. I can't let that guy get away with stabbing him either." He waited a few minutes. "What do you want me to do?"

"Hello Mark."

Mark stood up fast. Smiling he turned around to the one coming towards him. "Jonathan! It's about time! What took you so…so—what it is?"

Jonathan hadn't returned his smile. He was looking rather grim. "Come." Jonathan held up a hand, indicating a direction. "A Friend of ours wants us to sit with Him."

Mark looked across the river & saw a picnic table was set up under a tree. A man dressed in white was standing beside it. A small stone bridge formed over the river in front of Mark's eyes. He followed Jonathan over to the table & both sat down opposite each other. The table was covered with a pale blue linen. In the center lay a long candle holder that held seven small red tea candles, all lit up. Beside it lay something that looked like a twisted horn, but it was made of silver. The One who had set up the table was dressed in white & He handed out three pieces of something white & fluffy like cotton candy. He gave one to Mark, one to Jonathan (which Mark found strange, more so that Jonathan accepted it without a word) & kept the third for himself. He then poured out two glasses of deep reddish purple liquid & passed them to Mark & Jonathan before sitting down at the head of the table.

The three of them ate the white fluff in silence. It was sweet like honey, yet had a taste of coriander to it as well. Next Jonathan reached for his glass & Mark did the same. Mark looked over at their Host who still had yet to pour out His own drink. "I'm sorry but ..." Mark began. Jonathan paused from lifting his glass. Mark cleared his throat, feeling suddenly awkward.

"Don't be," Their Guest finally spoke with a soft laugh. "Speak child."

Child? Mark sent a look at Jonathan but the angel merely nodded. Accept the term. Hard though it was, Mark forwent commenting about child & asked, "Would you like something to drink as well?"

"He can't Mark," Jonathan answered. "Not yet. He promised the first disciples He would wait until we are all together." Mark looked at him, but the angel lifted his glass to drink. In silence, Mark copied. It was the best wine he had ever tasted even though for some reason it seemed unfermented.

They finished their drinks & placed the empty goblets on the table. The three sat in silence for a minute until the Guest reached out both hands towards Mark's, taking up the ex-cop's palms into his own. The hands were scarred right through. Something had pierced them.

"What happened to your hands?" Mark blurted out before he could stop himself. It was as if the words needed to be said regardless of how he felt about it.

"They were pierced for you."

In that moment, Mark's eyes were opened & he understood a few things. Who this was & why he had called Mark a child. Child. Yes, of the Boss. "Ohh," Mark couldn't lift his eyes even to look at Jonathan.

"It's alright My child," Jesus said, laughing again.

Mark forced himself to look up. "Thank you," he breathed, wondering exactly why he had just said that.

"You're welcome," Jesus looked down at his scars for a moment, then at Jonathan. "You're quite fond of My angel here aren't you?"

"Well ...yes, of course," Mark began, wishing he could stop feeling so darned insignificant. As if reading his thoughts, an old Bible passage went through his mind about how more than one of the Old Testament prophets felt the same way when they had met the Boss only to fall down onto their faces. It was a natural human response. Mark slowly relaxed.

"I have come to tell you in person that Jonathan must return now."

Oh there it was. Mark felt the blow so hard it was almost physical. "Will he come back?"

"Yes but not for a long time."

"It's why I was gone these passed two weeks," Jonathan said. "The Boss had something to tell us. He has gathered enough angels to replace the third Lucifer stole. We have to prepare now."

"Prepare? For what?" Mark asked, but Jonathan could only look at him. Mark suddenly saw vague images in his mind that he dared not dream in his worst nightmares. "Jonathan!"

"The time is at hand," Jesus said. "You will meet again." He leaned closer to Mark. "As will we."

"Can I ask something?" Mark said. At a nod from the Boss, he went on. "I know no one is supposed to know not the hour. So I won't ask, but how long approximately?"

"Near your mortal life's end," replied Jesus.

Mark gasped, putting both hands over his mouth. "That's not long. Not long!" It didn't matter if Mark lived only a few more years or lived to be ninety, the time left was less than a human life span!

"I have to go," Jonathan began. "I'll be training under Gabriel for this."

The two stood up together. Mark slowly got up from his seat last. "Wait. Wait. What about the man who stabbed you?"

Jonathan glanced to the Boss who nodded. "That wasn't a man. That was one of the fallen angels that left with Lucifer many eons ago. Don't even bother finding him. He will be dealt with soon enough."

"So that blade…"

"An ungodly weapon designed to try killing the angels who didn't bow to him," Jonathan explained.

"KILL? You can die? Again?"

"No," Jesus said. "It's just something Lucifer tries. But only I can destroy both body & soul."

"The edge is sharp," Jonathan began. "Once his mind turned to war, Lucifer could come up with the worst sorts of instruments imaginable. Look what he tried to do to the Boss two thousand years ago." Jonathan took up one of the scarred hands into his own. "We have to go now though we are never truly gone."

"When will I see you again Jonathan? There is nothing about not knowing the hour when an angel comes back, so can I ask that at least?"

Jonathan managed a small smile. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Before I come back."

Mark glanced between the pair. "Well. Kemo Sabe." He held out a hand but Jonathan pulled him into a hug. "I'll miss you. Goodb..." He sucked back a sob, unable to finish.

"Goodbye isn't forever," Jonathan said as they released each other. The angel looked deadly serious into the human's eyes. "Don't accept the chip when it comes & don't follow any manmade rules that go against the Boss's rule."

Mark nodded shortly, then looked at the Boss, partly raising his hand as if to shake but not sure what to do. Jesus wrapped His arms around him. "I am with you always." When He let go, Mark was standing alone. The table had disappeared. He crossed the bridge which also disappeared once he was over & got into the car. He sat there for almost an hour, absorbing the incident as well as the fact that…it was over. Jonathan was gone & he wasn't coming back any time soon. No more assignments to do & Mark suddenly felt too old to return to being a cop.

Jonathan was gone. Mark leaned back in the seat, wondering what he would do without the angel around. Sure there were plenty of angels with him right now, even all around the world. But either they stayed invisible or sometimes they would appear but not tell anyone who, or what rather, they were. Some have entertained angels unawares. Just...angels, the old Bible verse said. It didn't say if they were holy or fallen. Mark thought again of that man, that fallen angel, with the dagger. He thought of Jonathan popping in like nothing, always startling him, then laughing. Entertainment indeed! Mark knew he was going to miss it but wasn't about to admit that vocally.

But nothing changed facts. Jonathan was gone & though other angels were watching over him since the day he was born, it just wasn't the same as having one visibly in the room teasing you with his antics, or working on helping others.

Helping others. Mark wondered. Could he take on assignments on his own? Isn't that something like what a cop would do, serve & protect?

Mark looked over to the empty passenger seat beside him to find it not so empty after all. A long brilliantly shining gold feather lay there. Mark picked it up. It felt warm to the touch & unlike most feathers he had come across; this one didn't break down or get ruffled despite petting it with his finger tips. It would instantly spring back to its original form. "You got your wings Kemo Sabe." Mark put the feather away into the glove department. He laughed softly, turning the car onto the road. "You got your wings."


	2. Chapter 2

**(2) The Encounter**

Years slipped by without a single contact with Jonathan. Mark had been trying to continue the good work on his own but he had to change his approach. He no longer had an angel revealing assignments to him & the Boss would answer much more obscurely. Mark also had to be careful to not get into anything too dangerous since he didn't have the 'stuff' as he had called it & didn't have someone with him anymore who had it. He found assignments through the news or local papers, constantly looking for anyone who may need something, but instead of having an angel with information on the subjects, Mark had to do research first before making an approach. Occasionally even that failed.

The sad day came when Mark had to say goodbye to another old friend, though he was loath to get rid of it. The poor car was looking so helpless by now, limping along on its over-worked axels. Mark could swear he would see the headlights droop whenever he looked in the car's direction, as if telling him it was more than time to go.

But he & Jonathan had been everywhere in that car. It was really the last piece he had that was a bit of their partnership. No, wait, not the last piece. Mark suddenly turned & ran back into the carport. He stopped the man who was about to haul it away to the crusher, then wrenched open the passenger door. He had forgotten to empty the glove department. Not much was in there to begin with, but his most prized possession was there. Jonathan's golden feather, still glowing with the Boss's glory. Still warm & brand new. Keeping the feather hidden, Mark put the few papers & pens into a bag, the feather buried among them. He wasn't worried about crushing it since it couldn't be permanently damaged. Mark watched sadly as the car was finally towed away, half waving at it when he was sure no one would see him. When he got home, he emptied the contents of the bag onto the table. The crumpled feather was bent in half but by the time Mark reached out to pick it up, it had sprung back to life once it had the space free of other things to do so.

He dropped the feather into the small drawer of the nightstand beside his bed. Mark sat on the edge of the bed. "Well Boss. When are You sending him back? It's been years. When are You coming back, Yourself?"

There had been nothing of what Jonathan had warned him about all those years ago. Did the Lord delay his coming? The nineties, especially in the later years, was a strange era to live through. Mark was seeing more of people who knew not God, who would laugh it off & didn't even think angels were real. More & more scoffers came & at the same time Mark began hearing more rumors of war & seeing humanity change slowly but surely into something ugly.

He was nearing seventy now. Mark rarely went out on assignments the Boss had allowed him to find anymore. He was slowing down. He spent more time with the family. His sister had died but Mark didn't meet her angelic being either as far as he knew. Dianne & Scott were also getting on in years. Their boy they had adopted got engaged but the wedding never happened since Todd was killed in a car crash soon after proposing. It ruined Dianne & Scott.

Mark did what he could to keep them going but Scott fell into depression over the loss of his son & a few short years later, he had died. Mark sat back in his armchair at home, alone, wondering why the Boss would take their child right before his own wedding. Why let such a thing happen to such a nice family? Out of them all, Mark's faith was strongest considering what he knew, but even the strongest has a limit & Mark was beginning to waver.

He woke up with a start the next morning, still in his armchair. The TV he had been watching the night before was still on & it was showing one of the horrible scenes Mark had seen in vision so many years ago; although much more clearly. His vision had only shown buildings collapsing. The TV was showing a plane burning inside one of the Twin Towers. As Mark stared, a second plane struck the other tower.

That September morning, the world stopped turning. How could anyone dare attack America like this? Mark got up & paced. He was angry at the attack but he felt something else. Something he didn't like feeling. Scared & helpless. Mark wandered out into the backyard & glared at the sky. Such a quiet sky since all other planes were grounded. "Boss! I could really use some help right now! Why?" He looked back to the ground. "I'm too old for this." He blinked, suddenly figuring it out. Near the end of his mortal life! Was this the end, or at least the beginning of the end? The beginning of sorrows as the Boss Himself had once said nearly two thousand years ago?

Mark went back inside, still feeling upset & scared at the incident, but also a quiet excitement. The earth would reel to & fro & the coming of the Son of Man was likened to a woman crying to be delivered. Mark watched for more signs over the years. The planet was rocked, literally at times with earthquakes, with catastrophes left right & center. A terror was rising up in the east, developing into the largest terrorist group of the modern world, the ISIS. Sinkholes, floods, the wrath of nature tearing at the planet's earthly flesh, spilling its watery blood over causeways & forests, happened more often as time went by. Some said it only appeared that way since technology spread news around faster. At first, most people bought it, but after a while, even technology couldn't keep up with the wars & disasters of the world.

Mark returned home from visiting Dianne one day to find his computer on. He stopped & slipped into his old cop mode. Someone had been in his house. Mark moved slowly, looking for the intruder. He eventually came to the computer to find the chair had been pulled out & Jonathan's feather lying on its seat. Finally, after all these years, Jonathan had made some sort of contact. Mark wished he could see him. What would he look like with wings? He sat down & looked at the page that was on the screen. Sweden was putting microchips into some employees.

"Microchips?" Mark stared. "Yes. I remember now. You warned me about this!" Without warning, the computer page switched, startling Mark. "Haven't changed have you?" He grumbled. "Really cute!" He begrudgingly read the new page. It was a passage from Revelation about the mark of the beast in the hand or forehead. It then switched to the passage about bowing to the image of the beast but the Boss's rule was to not bow down to idols. Mark rubbed his face with both hands. "Is this coming to America soon?"

He wasn't exactly answered, but had the feeling he already knew it would be a yes eventually. Mark turned the computer off & got up, wondering what would be next. He didn't have to wait long. Barely a few years later, the signs of the Boss seemed to pick up the pace with renewed fury. There were more natural disasters than ever before. There were two sets of four blood moons each & a lot of talk of war in various parts of the world.

Mark was eighty by now. He rarely turned on the TV anymore. It was either full of reality shows or more disastrous news which he could easily find on the internet anyway. America seemed to let go completely old racial habits when they had hired a black president at last (although his nuclear deals were more than questionable), but then took several giant steps backward when an orange one took his place.

Barely a few months later, Nazis were storming American streets. Mark soon found another message left for him on the computer. A company in Wisconsin was now microchipping its employees. Mark looked around. "So it's here now."

He went out for a walk that evening, using his cane to move better. Mark was careful not to go far, just around the block. He tired easily now & was often sore. He could barely see out of one eye & his better eye was starting to fade. Halfway around the block, Mark stopped to sit on the garden bench for a short break before completing his round. When he stood up, he took barely three steps forward before feeling the ground slam into him.

Someone had shoved him from behind. Mark slowly turned over, knowing his mortal life was nearing its end. He took comfort in the fact that it must mean the Boss's return soon. Jonathan had come to him as he had promised though without being seen. It was all over soon. If this man finished him off now, he'd be with Jonathan as well as his family. He'd see Todd again!

"Where's the other one?" The man who had pushed Mark down snarled.

"What other one?" Mark gasped, feeling a pain in his side more than all the other pains he felt.

The man held up Jonathan's feather. "Don't play around!"

Mark felt insulted at such unholy hands gripping that feather. "That's mine! Let it go now."

The man broke it in half & the two pieces fluttered to the ground. It became whole again before it lighted on the grass. Mark inwardly smiled. The Boss's power was stronger than what this being had. "I tried to kill you both once before," said the fallen angel as he pulled out his dagger. "I'll start with you!" He got down to stab Mark through the chest.

The light was blinding. Mark felt no pain. In the distance, he heard some shriek of rage but all he could focus on was the bright light. Next moment, two shining eyes were looking down on him out of the white hot light. Mark felt something prop his body up against a wall he couldn't see & felt more than saw something like arms on either side of him. He blinked hard & saw four large objects, whiter than the light, sweep up then down, then the points of them turned towards him & landed two on either side.

"Am I dead?" Mark gasped.

He felt as if someone was laughing at him & the answer that came to him not by voice but by thought was a no.

Mark looked into the two shining eyes. Whatever this was moved closer, moving its four parts in a little to trap Mark in place. "What are you?"

The creature seemed to laugh at him as if he thought Mark being scared of it was funny. Then it gave him almost a scolding look as if to imply that Mark should already know.

Mark tried to regain control of his racing heart beat. "Jonathan?"

The creature seemed to pull his head back a little, looking him over. Mark slowly got to his feet, deciding to wonder later at how he could do that if his old broken body was still alive. Looking right & left, he realized that those four large things, two on either side of him, blocking all escape routes, were wings.

Mark glared into the shining eyes. "What is wrong with you? I'm over eighty years old! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?"

Jonathan only sent him a feeling of laughter. His wings snapped back to fold behind him as he stood there, laughing. Mark could barely make out the garden bench in the bright light. He made his way over & flopped down, clutching his chest. "Ohh! He's killed me! He's killed me! I'm going to die!"

The creature of pure light turned to watch him, amused. Mark slowly calmed down. "Well you sure changed. FOUR wings to!"

The light moved closer. Mark felt the whole story. Jonathan & the other angels that replaced the lost ones were all training under Gabriel for Armageddon. Seraphim like Gabriel & Lucifer actually had six wings. They were the highest angel ranks. Lucifer fell from that grace a long time ago. The next rank down were Cherubim, having four wings. They were on the front lines of battle with the Seraphim. The other angels had two wings & were mostly messenger or guardian angels. But all were trained for the final war of the universe.

"So you are a Cherubim now?" Mark asked a moment before feeling like he was being corrected. A Cherub was singular in fact. Cherubim was for the whole contingent. "Sorry." Mark reached for his cane & set it firmly in front of him. He looked Jonathan over as he slowly stood up. The human look was gone. What stood before him was pure light that somehow had a humanoid shape. The four wings were even brighter, neatly folded over each other behind the angel, the tips resting on the ground. The arrangement made it appear as if only two long large wings were folded. "So this is it for me then? You come to take me home?"

The angel walked around Mark, then put a hand on his shoulder. Mark suddenly found himself on a high plateau overlooking far-off lands & mountains. He felt that this was not an earthly plane & that he could see the entire Earth from here. Jonathan raised his hand towards the scene which changed from simple landscape to nuclear war. Mark saw lines of people offering themselves to be marked eternally. Then it was as if he could see all those alive at the moment & a great divide between two groups. One group looked like any gathering at perhaps a concert or rally. Most were not dressed appropriately, had vulgar speech & laughed at the other group. Mark looked over the second group. These people were dressed in rags but covered in light. They were injured but bore their pain quietly. As he watched, he saw almost all of them suddenly collapse to the ground as if struck dead. Scenes of guns, people killing others, officers dragging people away & even guillotines swept by.

Mark turned away. "Is this all to happen soon?"

Jonathan continued watching the scenes & silently urged Mark to do the same. He did so & he saw that not all who had been covered in light had died. A multitude still stood, bloodied & nearly dead, but still alive. For some reason, all Mark could think of was something in Revelation about a special group of people.

As if on cue, Jonathan lifted his hand to a scroll that had drifted in front of them. He rolled it open & pointed to some words. The scroll was Revelation & Mark read over the passage about the hundred & forty-four thousand, a group of virgin men who would never see death & would spend the last days trying to save any last souls that would listen.

Mark & Jonathan appeared in Mark's living room; though, he felt it more than saw it. Jonathan's brilliance nearly blotted everything out. The angel guided Mark to the armchair & let him sit down as he stood before him & finally, he used the spoken word.

Even his voice had changed. It still sounded familiar but had an echo to it. "The Boss has a deal for you," Jonathan began. "Remember when I told you that you would hear the trumpet resound? I know now what that means."

"I had thought about that a few times," Mark admitted. "What is it?"

"You have two options to choose from," Jonathan said. "You can either die next week by natural cause or you can join them." Mark leaned forward in his seat. Somehow, he didn't need to ask who 'them' was. He just knew. "You will never see death & you will hear the blasting of the trumpet upon the Boss's return during this lifetime of yours, unlike those who have died & can only hear it in their next life."

"Never to die," Mark gasped softly.

Jonathan knelt before him. "If I may, I would urge you to take the first option instead."

Mark smiled. "You'd rather I become an angel like you?"

"No one becomes angels anymore," Jonathan said. "Only a few became angels to replace those lost. Two thirds of the angels had always been angels, never human, never died. Like Gabriel, or Lucifer. One third left with Lucifer many ages ago. The Boss wanted to replace them. He needs the army for the final confrontation. Lucifer & his followers have no chance."

"That is good to know," said Mark. "So if I die & there are no more spots on the angel team, what would happen to me & anyone else who dies?"

"Throughout the ages, the Boss has hand picked a few from each era to go on to do His work, but enough angels have been made to take over the positions lost," Jonathan explained. "You know of the resurrection upon His return. This is for everyone else who still sleeps in the dust. Death is nothing to them. They won't notice how long they have been out. Their next conscious thought is with the Lord."

"I've always wondered why there was going to be a resurrection," said Mark.

"Two really," Jonathan said. "The first for the saints. The second for the followers of Lucifer. He collected many already to build his own army. But he was not allowed to take as many as the Boss did, so the rest of his followers wait in death to meet him in the end. But it will be too late for all of them by then."

Mark had a feeling that Jonathan was avoiding an issue. "So why would you rather I die then?"

Jonathan stood up & turned away. "Because those allowed to live to the end can still be captured, imprisoned, tortured during the apocalypse. I'd...I would rather you didn't have to face that. If you choose the second option, there is no going back. You may come to a point where you would wish to die, but you won't."

"Well, Jonathan," Mark sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, feeling tired. "I'm old. I'll be a hundred in just over ten years. I have only one good eye now & there are times I can barely move with these old joints."

"That would go away," Jonathan said & Mark was suddenly thinking of Moses & how his eyes weren't dim or his feet weary at the end of his days. "You would be rejuvenated to be able to go out to join your people to finish up the great work. It would be similar to us going on assignments, but this time you would have to bring the lost sheep back to the Boss."

"It would be nice not to be trapped in my own body anymore."

Jonathan finally turned back to look at him. "You would be returned to full youth on that great day. For now, you will simply have youthful strength again."

"I thought that group all had to be Jews?" Mark began. "Virgin to. I did marry once."

"Yes you got the piece of paper & the blessing from God, but did you ever actually mate?"

Mark felt his face flush at Jonathan's straightforwardness. "Well, um, you know she ah was really sick."

"I know," Jonathan said. "Most of your marriage was spent in hospitals. It was a union of comfort." After a pause, he added. "She's waiting for you." Mark smiled at that as Jonathan went on. "You never did find anyone else. Why is that?"

"Uhh well I don't know," Mark shrugged pathetically. "It just...I never got around to it."

"I see," Jonathan sounded amused. "You have a Jewish heritage by the way. Right back to Auschwitz. One of the survivors is related to you."

"Really? Wow, I don't believe it!" Mark gasped. "Never knew that."

"I've met him a few times," said Jonathan. "Anyway it's a myth. The group is made up of men & women from not just Israel, but the spiritual Israel grafted into the vine. You don't have to be Jewish by blood to be part of it."

"Women? The Scripture said men."

"In the old days, male terminology was often neutral & in reference to mankind."

"Oh."

"Disappointed?"

"What? No," Mark glared. "Why would I be? I just never thought of it that way. Jonathan!" The angel only laughed at him again. "You're making up for lost time, aren't you?" Mark scolded. Jonathan spread both arms & all wings in an attempt to feign innocence. Mark grumbled under breath. "Tell me something Jon. Are all angels even half as annoying as you or is it just you?"

"Oh that's real cute!" Jonathan pouted, letting his wings droop.

"Hmpf. It's just you isn't it? Thank God!" Mark let out a yelp when he heard the clap of thunder. And…Jonathan was laughing at him once more. Mark took his cane to stand up. He waited for Jonathan to compose himself & they stared at each other for a long time.

"You're taking the second option, aren't you?" Jonathan broke the silence.

"You told me so many years ago that I WILL hear the trumpet resound. You said now that it would be in this lifetime, not the next like for others," Mark paused before finishing. "This choice was made before I was even born, wasn't it?"

"Mark you don't have to," Jonathan said, sounding worried, almost pleading. "If you allow it, the Boss will let you die naturally next week."

"Let another take my place?"

Jonathan's light flared to almost blinding, but Mark didn't even blink. "You know what those people will go through!"

"I also know what their job is, which is more important."

The light dimmed back to normal, which wasn't much of a difference. "You are right." Jonathan disappeared & Mark could see again, not just because the light was gone but also since his eyesight was back to normal.

Mark moved towards the bedroom, letting his cane fall to the floor. It was no longer needed.

* * *

 _(If anyone remembers, that boy was played by Paul Walker.)_


	3. Chapter 3

**(3) Finding A Long Lost Friend**

It had been a month since Jonathan had appeared at last. Mark had spent the last half of it with Dianne. He had been unable to return home since a suicide bomb had blown up half the block where his house now lay in shambles. He had only gone back for a moment to retrieve one thing. The feather naturally, had survived the blast.

Mark now sat with Dianne in the living room, late one night. She was curled up in the arm chair while Mark sat across from her on the sofa. Between them lay the shining feather atop the small coffee table. Dianne stared at it in silence; thinking over the fantastic story Mark had just finished telling her about their friend Jonathan.

"Well?" Mark ventured after several moments of silence. "Say something."

"What?" Dianne tore her eyes from the feather. "What am I supposed to say? How should I answer? You brought that ma—that...You brought Jonathan into our lives so many years ago. You took off with him, leaving your home you had with your sister, hanging out with him all those years & then he suddenly disappears. You know, Leslie & I like him just fine but we often wondered why you two were always off together. What you were doing. Let me tell you, some of the theories we came up with were pretty wild."

"Ohh well," Mark shrugged. "Jonathan & I got that a few times. All I can say is don't judge what you don't know."

"An angel Mark?" Dianne spoke over him. "Isn't that something you tell kids so they won't be scared at night?"

Mark stared at her. He had to get through to her. Time was running out. "Yes, he is an angel. Really." he said simply.

"He was our friend for years," Dianne went on. "Why didn't he tell any of us?"

"Well it isn't something he broadcasted loudly," said Mark. "When he first told me, all I wanted to do was lock him up & keep him away from Leslie." He laughed softly at the memory. "I didn't like him at all but then stuff happened. Like the steak in the fridge. Or getting Leslie to come out of her shell & the way he just tossed those guys aside that were beating me up. Unhuman strength." He picked up the feather & looked it over. "At the time, all I saw was maybe a different life from the one I was drinking myself out of. I figured that if nothing else, he was at least harmless. Thought I'd give it a shot to hang out with him. Things just took off from there." He pocketed the feather & leaned back. "He really is what he said he was back then."

Dianne scoffed under breath, looking away. She slowly got up, leaning on the armchair for a moment before moving once more. "There's something different about you Mark. Did you have a surgery or something? That cataract you had on one eye is gone."

Mark hesitated, buying time as he stood up. He moved easily, without the confining problems old age brought. His hair & beard were still snow white & he still had some wrinkles though not as much as before, but he felt half his age again. "Jonathan came to me a few weeks ago," He began. "He showed me something & said the Boss was giving me a choice."

"The Boss," Dianne repeated. "You mean God?" Mark nodded silently. "Where's your cane?"

"I don't need it anymore."

"Mark you have a really bad leg."

"Not anymore."

Dianne started at him. "What's happened to you?"

Mark thought over what he would say. She would either accept it or not. "You might want to sit down again." Dianne was about to protest but Mark sent her a withering look. She slowly sat down again & then finally, he told her.

"So," Mark finished half an hour later. "I've accepted to be part of that number."

Dianne was staring at him. "Never to die. You really believe that? No don't answer. I already know that you do."

"You don't?"

"I don't know what to believe right now!" Dianne shouted at him. "You're telling me you've walked with angels. That the world is nearly ended. That you won't die. That God is coming back? All in a short time?"

Mark raised his hands. "It's a lot to absorb, I know."

"A lot?" Dianne echoed scathingly. "Supposedly no one even knows when He comes back."

"Well we know not the hour," said Mark. "But anyone can take a look around & see that this world is nearly finished. It's called the beginning of sorrows. Besides, He & Jonathan told me!"

"Yes, yes I know," Dianne shushed him. "Sometime in your lifetime."

"That's all they said," Mark tried again. "I don't know the exact hour any more than you, only that it is soon."

Dianne stood up again, slightly faster than before. "I really need to think about this. I'm going to bed."

Mark let her walk by him. "Do you want me to help you up the stairs? I can do that now." Dianne just glared at him but allowed him to take her arm & guide her up stairs to her room. He helped her into bed then left, closing the door.

Dianne heard him move about for a few minutes, then another light switch off. He had gone to bed as well. She lay awake, staring at the ceiling for most of the night. About four in the morning, Dianne shook herself from a light doze, blinking in brilliant light.

"Hi Dianne."

She stared at the object of light at the foot of her bed. "What..."

"It's me, Jonathan Smith. Remember me?"

"I remember," Dianna gasped. "But he looked different."

"I didn't have my wings then," Jonathan rustled the feathers, letting all four wings extend. Dianne gaped at him. "You should listen to your cousin. What Mark told you is true. Scott & Todd say hi by the way. They miss you. Scott can walk again now."

"He can?"

"Of course. No pain or sorrow or death in heaven."

"Right …." Dianne sat up, swinging her legs over the edge. "Right."

"I have to go back up," Jonathan said. "Tell Mark I'll see him in three days."

"Three days?" Dianne looked back where the light was, but it was gone. She sat in stunned silence for a moment, then got out of bed completely. "Mark? MARK!"

Three days later found Mark pacing the balcony at the back of the house with Dianne sitting on the loveseat swing by the wall. The entire porch was covered, keeping off a hard rain. Mark turned & slowly made his way back to the seat. "What's taking so long? He's going to pop out of nowhere. I just know it. I hate it when he does that!"

"Mark calm down," Dianne ordered as Mark had reached her, turned & started his way back.

Mark stopped & turned to look at her. "You believe me now don't you?"

"I saw him with his wings," Dianne admitted.

Mark was about to say something when a voice sounded behind him. "Are you ready Mark?" Jonathan asked as his light chased away the gloom of the rainstorm.

"ARGH!"

"Never gets old," Jonathan doubled over in laughter.

"He he he," Mark mock laughed as he snarled, "What do you want?"

The light surrounding Jonathan dimmed & his wings folded up behind him, then seemed to disappear with the light. Jonathan appeared almost human again, dressed in white. "The Boss is allowing me to appear human for this."

"Now that is the face I remember," said Dianne.

"May I borrow him?" Jonathan put a hand on Mark's shoulder, ignoring the dark look still smouldering in his eyes. "We have to go pick up an old friend."

"Oh really?" Mark derided, still grumpy. "Just what I need. Another one of your kind to jump out at me."

"Oh it's not another angel," Jonathan assured, still snickering, pushing the disgruntled human through the door.

"So who are we meeting?" Mark asked as they stepped into the street out front, still wet from the passing storm.

"Not who. More of a what," said Jonathan. "You were looking at cars last week."

"I can drive again," said Mark. "I'm going to need one to get out of the city soon enough it seems. They're talking about martial law if you can believe it."

"I believe it," Jonathan said. "It's all the start of the New World Order that's coming. Soon you won't be able to buy a car, let alone the fuel for it."

Mark stopped walking, shocked. "I didn't think of that. Although I was considering maybe one of those electric cars. They run by computer."

"Oh sure & be tracked by the Order with that built in GPS."

Mark stopped walking again. "Didn't think of that one either!"

"This is why the Boss sent me down," said Jonathan. "He has a good untrackable car in mind for you." Jonathan led Mark down two blocks & into a small parking lot behind a store. Several cars were parked there. "Pick one."

"What?"

"Go on," Jonathan smiled at him. "Pick one. Any one."

"But I can't take another person's car!"

"You won't," Jonathan said mysteriously.

"So none of them are traceable?"

"Oh they all are," said Jonathan. "All except one."

"How am I supposed to know which one then?" Mark complained.

"Go have a look. You'll know."

Mark wandered between the two rows of parked vehicles. All looked rather modern; though, Mark wasn't exactly paying attention at the moment. "Just one time Boss," He complained under breath. "Just once. I'd like to get him for all the times he's just popped up. Whatever happened to an eye for an eye or, you know, a wing for wing?" He fell silent at the single loud thunderclap. A hard rain fell from a cloud that had formed directly above him, drenching him. "Cute Boss. Real cute." When the rain cleared, he decided to focus on the vehicles at last & was about to rethink over which of them he would take, but as he got to the end, a silver one caught his eye. It was a very old model, built by Ford. "Uh ...Jon?"

The angel walked up beside him. "Is that the one you want?"

"But...but I …it was cru..."

"Jason Brook was the one who took it away to be crushed," said Jonathan. After a dramatic beat of silence, he simply stated, "He's an angel."

"Ohh," Mark could only stare at his old familiar car. 

"We brought it up for safe keeping," Jonathan walked around the front of the old car, knocking on its hood. "It's all different under here & it runs on distilled water now."

"Water?" Mark exclaimed, putting a hand on the driver's side door.

"Yeah you can get that anywhere," Jonathan said. "Even make it yourself." He tossed some keys across the hood to Mark. "Speaking of water, you're all wet." Mark glared at him.

They both got in, Mark shaking himself in disbelief. He was sitting in his old car again & she looked almost new. He backed out & turned the car towards Dianne's home. "Almost like old times again," He remarked to Jonathan.

"Just for today," Jonathan twisted around in the seat to grab something from the back. "By the way, the Boss wanted you to have this." He held up a flat square package.

Mark parked the car in front of Dianne's house before taking the package. He dropped it into his lap & stared out the windshield. "How am I supposed to do this?"

"How did things go with Dianne last night?"

"She didn't believe me until you showed up."

"Blessed are they who have not seen, yet believe."

"So what, I'm supposed to be a preacher now? Where does the Boss expect me to get ordained?"

Jonathan burst out laughing. "He already has ordained you, along with one hundred forty three thousand & nine hundred ninety nine others." He opened the door to get out. "You do what you did with Dianne. Bring people back to the straight & narrow."

Mark got out as well. "First things first. Get out of the city."

"The Boss already has a place established for you & anyone who wants to follow."

"Where?"

"You'll find it when the time is right."

Mark looked up the stairs to the door. "Will I see you again before the end?"

"Oh I'll drop in from time to time," Jonathan teased.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Mark groused, heading up the stairs. He entered alone since Jonathan had already gone back up. He sat on the sofa & opened the package to find a folded silver-ish cloak. It felt soft as velvet.

"Where did you go off to?" Dianne asked when she noticed Mark sitting alone, the cloak draped about his shoulders.

Mark stood up quickly. "We need to leave."

"Leave? Why?"

"There is talk of martial law," Mark began. "We don't want to be stuck in the cities. The government is going to control everyone eventually, using that microchip we've been hearing about."

"I was thinking about getting one."

"NO!" Mark yelped. "No you can't!"

"Mark, it will keep track of my medical condition & alert someone if I have a problem."

"It will keep track of a lot more than that," said Mark. "It was predicted thousands of years ago. If you get that chip… I … We won't…"

"Does this have something to do with Jonathan?"

Mark stared at her long & hard. Whatever his answer would be will either save her or lose her. "Yes," he replied simply.


	4. Chapter 4

**(4) The Gathering Remnant**

An old silver car made its lonely way down the deserted road, lit up by its headlights. Dawn was still two hours away. Mark & Dianne had packed a few things in the car & left in the middle of the night. Dianne was in the back sleeping, while Mark drove into the country. He had kept just below the speed limit while passing through the city & into the smaller towns surrounding it so as not to attract attention. But now that most of civilization lay far behind him, he had pushed the old car faster.

The last time Mark had felt such an urgency had been several decades ago, when some fiend from the underworld had made a literal stab at him which Jonathan had taken in his place. The wound had sent the angel back to heaven, leaving Mark alone for two weeks. He had a sudden need to get out of that place then, just like now. Mark half-wondered if it was the Boss or Jonathan driving him forward as he navigated a high, dark pass through the mountains.

Suddenly, the road lit up bright as day. Mark came to a screeching halt, jolting Dianne awake. "What is that light?" She gasped, pulling long wisps of grey hair out of her face.

"I think," Mark stopped, opening the door. "Dianne, it might be the Boss coming back!" He got out & looked up to the sky for a split second before the direction from which the light came pulled his eyes downwards into the valley.

Dianne came to stand beside him. "Wouldn't He be in the clouds?"

There was a second bright flash near to where the old light was that was now fading. "That isn't the Boss," answered Mark. "That's the start of World War Three." He glanced at Dianne who had one hand over her mouth. "We left just in time."

"Ohh I hope those bombs weren't nukes!"

"Well," Mark opened the door for her to get in. "We aren't about to stick around to find out."

Dianne returned to her nest of pillows in the back, but didn't go to sleep. She stayed in shocked silence while Mark continued to drive away from the attacks on the civilized world below. The sun came up, dawning on what should be a beautiful day, but the daylight only exposed the escaping car to view of any passing bomber planes if they happened to fly by.

Mark didn't stop. He didn't know where they were supposed to be going but knew anywhere was better than what they had left behind. It was as if something was dragging him forward. He didn't feel like sleeping despite being up & driving all night. On a rare occurrence, he didn't even think of food, only to keep moving.

For the second time that morning, Mark suddenly came to a screeching halt once more. He let out a yell as the nose of the car came to within an inch of an outstretched hand of someone standing in the road before the car finally stopped. Mark leaned over to push open the passenger door.

"Don't DO that!" Mark complained as Jonathan got in. "Boy am I glad to see you."

"You couldn't run me over if you wanted to," Jonathan flipped the seat back to make room for his wings.

"Believe me, there are times I do," Mark groused as Jonathan finally got in. One of his wingtips went sideways into Mark's face, brushing his beard. Mark put a hand on the wing to push it aside before sneezing. Mark rubbed his face with the back of one hand. "Your feathers were bothering my nose."

"Sorry," Jonathan teased with a laugh.

Mark grumbled under breath before asking, "Were those nukes back there?"

"Not yet," said Jonathan. "Believe it or not, Canada is going to fire the first of those."

"Canada?" Mark & Dianne both exclaimed.

"That frozen wasteland has nukes?" Mark went on. "I thought they beat people up with hockey sticks."

"Mark it isn't a frozen wasteland," Jonathan said.

"They build houses out of ice," Mark pointed out. "Case closed."

"Only up in Alaska," said Jonathan. "Which by the way is American."

"Canada," Mark scoffed under breath.

"Yes & that's where we are headed."

"What? Ohhh Jonathan!" whined Mark.

"Well do you want to be here when the nukes come?"

"Here?" echoed Mark. "Whatever happened to our friendly neighbours up north? They want to blow us off the map all of a sudden?"

"Very soon, there won't be any such thing as countries anymore," said Jonathan. "New World Order will be one global country. The war is between that & those that oppose it."

"Oppose it," Dianne spoke from the back. "So it's the saints versus the Order then?"

Jonathan turned & looked under one wing to see her clearly. "Not all who oppose the Order will be saints. Some are just rebels who still want freedom from it but refuse to choose another path but their own wayward ones. Be careful of trusting just anyone who opposes the Order." He turned back to Mark, his wings rustling with the movement. "You'll have to be careful which roads to take now. The whole country is under martial law & there are road checks everywhere. If you don't have a microchip, you either get one or are detained."

Mark put the car in gear once more. "I wish you would drive Jon. I remember you cleared about four hundred miles in one hour once while I was sleeping."

"I used the stuff."

"Can you give me some of that stuff now?"

"You already have it," replied Jonathan.

"I do?"

"You are one of the hundred forty-four thousand who can't die," Jonathan explained. "You have only enough to keep you alive."

"Wow! I got the stuff!" Mark tapped the palms of his hands on the steering wheel.

"Some stuff," Jonathan corrected. "Only to stay alive."

"So this multitude you mentioned," Dianne began. "Are they the only ones who will live to the end?"

"They are the only ones who can't be killed," answered Jonathan. "There are plenty others who are young enough to live to the end, but if they get caught by the Order, they will most likely die. Also, there are many from the other side who will see the end without seeing death...until then, but the end is the last thing their eyes will behold."

"I don't believe it," Mark muttered. Jonathan silently looked at him. "I meet people nowadays who don't even think God or the angels exist or that there is more beyond what's here. They think they're here for a time & then turn into nothing. Not even an afterlife. How can people even live like that? I mean what's the point of their life if they are nothing, from nothing & going to nothing?"

"It is all a matter of choice," said Jonathan quietly. "Some people don't even want to live eternally in whatever way they think an afterlife is."

"I don't believe it," Mark said again, shaking his head. "I've been there. I've told people about you. Even showed them your feather you left me. Know what I get? It's just a magic trick, they tell me. Do I look like a magician?"

"They who have eyes, let them see."

"It's like they tell me you don't exist when I know they're wrong," Mark went on. He thumped a palm angrily on the steering wheel. "How do you get through to people like that?"

"For some, they have already gone beyond the point of no return," said Jonathan. Mark scoffed under breath as he fell silent at last. After several minutes of driving in silence, Jonathan said, "Curling."

"What?"

"Curling," Jonathan repeated. "That's the real Canadian sport, not hockey."

"Curling is NOT a sport!" Mark declared.

"Yes it is!"

"Is Canada run by women?" Mark demanded.

"No."

"Then curling isn't a sport,' replied Mark stubbornly.

Dianne tugged on one of the wings to get the angel's attention. When Jonathan looked into the rear-view mirror at her, she leaned forward to whisper. "Do you want to tell him or should I?"

"You know that sport?"

"Not a sport!"

"I visited Canada twice," Dianne said as both she & Jonathan ignored Mark.

"Let's see how long we can keep this going," Jonathan whispered back. Both turned their faces away, snickering.

"Can't believe we're going to Canada," Mark was still complaining. "They're going to come at me with hot-irons!" This comment brought Dianne & Jonathan to tears of laughter.

Mark soon fell silent, internally fuming about ice houses & hot-irons. Jonathan soon pulled out a white ball of fluff & broke it in three. It was more of the same type of bread Mark had once tried when the Boss had spread a picnic for them the time He had come to retrieve Jonathan. A sweet bread with a hint of coriander & just one piece was as good as a full meal.

"What is this?" Dianne asked.

"Humanity has called it Manna for several thousand years," Jonathan answered.

"Manna. Isn't that what the Israelites found while they were in the wilderness?" Dianne pulled her piece into smaller parts to eat.

"Yes. It is the real angel food. We just call it bread."

"Never thought I would ever eat that stuff," said Dianne as Mark stopped the car.

Looking up, she noticed that they had come to a crossroad of four ways. Mark was thinking hard about which way to go. He knew they had to go north, but what if there was a road check on the way?

Jonathan leaned towards Mark. "Use the stuff Mark. See ahead."

Mark looked dead ahead at the road in front, going east. It seemed as if it suddenly lurched towards him as if his eyes raced down the road. He found not one but three blocks on that road. Mark pulled back to find himself still sitting behind the wheel. He knew he had never really left & it had all happened in his head, but that didn't make it any less real. He checked down the other two. All had road checks but the one going northwest had the least amount, only one which was the furthest away. He looked back the way they had come & knew he had to make a decision quickly. Not only were road checks being set up on the way they had just traveled, but also a contingent of squad cars was heading right for them.

Mark turned northwest. "There is one road check down here. Any ideas how to get through it, Kemo Sabe?"

"That's why I'm here," said Jonathan. "All roads you were headed towards had checks. Take the one with the least amount & I will get you through."

"Thanks Jon," Mark sighed, slowly relaxing. "You know, it's good to have you in the car again." He looked over. "Jon…oh great." The angel was gone.

"Where'd he go?" Dianne gasped. "He said he would get us through the block!"

"Hmm, he'll be back," was all Mark could say, wondering what his feathered friend was upto now.

After nearly half an hour, Mark rounded a curve & saw the block dead ahead. Jonathan still hadn't returned. Mark slowed & pulled to the side, letting two cars eventually pass him. Mark pulled onto the road behind them, driving slowly in no hurry to catch up.

Dianne leaned forward. "What do we do?"

"He said he'd get us through," Mark was driving so slowly now that a snail could win a race against him. He watched the guards checking over the cars in front. "I think we should go through it."

"Are you sure?"

Mark looked over the guards again, using the stuff to see closer than he could possibly do normally. The head guard was turned away so Mark couldn't see his face, but he had a feeling it was Jonathan. "He's one of them." He pulled over once more as requested. Their turn had come.

"I got this one," the head guard walked up to the old car. Sure enough, it was Jonathan, looking human once more. He leaned into the window when Mark rolled it down. "Keep going straight until you come to a second left." He looked around at the other guards before adding, "They have already detained three people for not accepting a microchip."

"You're here to bust them out," Mark half smiled. Jonathan nodded as he stepped away to allow Mark to pass. "To think America has come to this," he stated once they had left the road block far behind.

"The whole world," said Dianne. "Not just here."

Mark took the second left they came across, leaving the main road behind. The turn was just before another road check & spared them from getting caught. It took them nearly four days to reach the border, picking their way through country roads, turning often to avoid the checkpoints. Once, Mark even had to drive through a field to avoid them. They spent the nights with others they met along the way who lived away from the cities. They had left homes, families, even churches that were submitting to the New World Order. A Remnant of people from all walks of life was slowly gathering. Such people seemed to turn up whenever they were needed & both Mark & Dianne were sure they had run into more angels; though, Jonathan himself had yet to reappear.


	5. Chapter 5

**(5) A Shout & A Blast**

It had been just a few years since the great escape from the city. The time, times & half a time (which no church could agree on how long that was supposed to be. Least was three & a half years & at most, seven years but no one could know the final hour.) foretold was the most trying time Earth had ever seen. Most of mankind had accepted the chip & it was disheartening to see so many eternally lost.

Mark knew that the prophetic time would have to be cut short or there would be no one at all saved in the end. He had acquired quite a flock by now & they resorted to living secretly in groups deep within the mountains. Each group kept to themselves while Mark moved among them, sometimes to bring food, both physical & spiritual, sometimes introducing a new member. He had met several others from the one hundred forty-four thousand. Each Shepherd, as their followers had come to call them, had a silvery cloak just like Mark's.

By now, even hiding in the mountains was becoming difficult & often, a Shepherd would lose a group to the Order. Mostly they were killed on sight while the Shepherd was dragged away for interrogation. Mark had narrowly missed being caught on more than one occasion but even he himself had lost a few groups. Even if it was temporary, for they would all be reunited soon, it was still hard to see them gunned down like animals. Dianne had been in one of the groups that was recently irradiated. Mark could do nothing but look forward to the grand & glorious day.

Mark stood at the top of the cliff, looking down several thousand feet to the ocean below. The ocean. They were in the Rockies of what used to be Canada. The faults from Alaska running all the way down beyond California had all erupted at once, plunging the entire western seaboard into a salty mass grave. The tsunamis from that catastrophe had beaten against the mighty peaks of the Rockies & a few of them had given way. Where Mark stood had been under three feet of seawater for a day before the waves rolled back & sunk into the ocean, taking a few more tons of boulders with them, but the majority had withstood the pounding.

"Is He coming?"

Mark turned to the voice behind him. "Very soon."

"I thought you were watching Him descend."

"This is an excellent place for a viewpoint," Mark half smiled. "Don't worry, Vienna. When He comes, every eye shall see Him."

"My church I used to go to taught about the secret Rapture," Vienna said. "Why didn't that happen?"

Mark waved his hand. "Those words aren't in scripture & most Rapturists rely heavily on the Old Testament. A lot of that is obsolete apart from what was carried over into the New Testament. The Boss Himself says in Mathew 24 that all these things must come to pass first & then immediately after will the end come. Besides, we aren't supposed to know the final day or the hour. Only the time of sorrows. A Rapture would tell us the exact day & hour of the glorious appearing."

"I've never thought of that," said Vienna. She sat down, dangling her legs over the edge. "I wonder where it comes from?"

"Partly misunderstood, partly fear," said Mark. "None of us want to be here with the New World Order. There are people out there being beheaded for not accepting the ways of the Order. Shepherds are losing groups even up in the mountains. Death is nothing to fear if you are saved under the Boss's grace, yet it is in our nature to resist dying."

"Death is fine," Vienna said. "It's the dying that isn't. I know back in Europe, people are being burned or crucified. I prefer the American way."

"America? It doesn't exist anymore."

"I mean the continent," Vienna said. "It is still called the North American continent. The guillotines are quick at least."

"This is true," Mark admitted. Vienna stood up & moved away from the cliff. She was about to say something more but rapid gunfire made them both jump & look around. "Vienna, the Order is here! RUN!"

Vienna took off for the trees but immediately backed out & ended up close to Mark again. A few survivors of the group that had been killed were pushed out towards the cliff, several gunmen followed behind.

One of the soldiers moved away from the others & headed straight for Mark. "Are you Mark Gordon?" Mark glanced over the others before nodding. "We've been after you for a while," the soldier went on. "We've pulled your records from all the way back in the 80's. Where's the other one?" After a short silence, the soldier shot one of the men in the group. Mark closed his eyes for a moment, hearing the thud as the body hit the ground. "Where is Jonathan Smith?"

Mark raised his hand above his head, pointing to the sky. "He's gone."

"You'll forgive me if I don't believe that," the soldier shot another. The victim fell back over the cliff to plunge into the ocean far below.

"Killing them won't make a difference," Mark began. "We live way out here in the mountains. We leave you alone. Why can't you leave us alone?"

"Because an enemy of the Order is an enemy of God."

"How so?"

The soldier looked around. "You people think you have the right way? Why does your God let you suffer & die? Why do you cower up here like animals when you could have a good home, food, water, anything you want? The true God is out there. If you are against us, you are against the whole universe."

"Both sides take casualties in a war," said Mark. "The difference is, you can't kill us, only destroy our bodies. We will return. Why does your God ask you to go around killing innocent people who have done nothing against your Order except choose to live without it? Isn't one of the commandments against killing? Why do you waste your life hunting us, doing things you wouldn't have done even a few short years ago? Your God demands much yet offers little. The Boss though, demands little yet offers much. He only has ten demands, one of which is to not murder people. We keep all ten, for only those who have the faith of the Boss & keep His commandments in the end shall be saved."

"We only need one new commandment," The soldier said. "Pray to our World Leader to protect us from the likes of you."

"Sounds like a chore. You have no life of your own," Mark said. "You spend it trying to please the Order but have nothing for yourself. You kill, lie, steal our lives. Do you even rest the seventh day? What commandment do you keep? None! Where is your reward for it? When will you get to live your own life? We have eternal life & our reward is greater than even we can imagine."

"Oh yeah? Then where is it?" The soldier scoffed.

Again, Mark pointed upwards. "Oh it's coming. In fact, it's almost here. We all have treasures beyond measure stored up waiting in a city of gold. Your city is granite & will crumble."

Annoyed, the soldier shot another. "Stuff like that doesn't exist. The riches are here now yet you stubborn fools refuse to claim them. You're coming with us. I hear a rumor that you Shepherds think you can't die. Let me tell you now, I will be damned happy to try killing you & when you do finally die, you will know that you were wrong. No one lives forever."

"The Boss does."

The soldier gunned down half the group. "Enough. Now come with us."

Mark stepped back, towards the edge of the cliff. "Let them go. Just this once. If you do, I will come quietly."

"Mark no," Vienna pleaded. "You know what he will do to—" One of the other gunners shot her & she fell down at Mark's feet.

Mark took another step back. He was almost close enough to step off. He looked at what was left of his group. "Leave," He spoke so low, he nearly just mouthed the word.

"Mark look out!" One man from the group pointed at the cliff.

"It's ok Jason," Mark clasped his hands crossed over his chest. "I can fly." Jason shook his head as Mark put another foot back, now stepping into the air. "Believe!" Mark said. Jason looked scared, but nodded shortly. Mark stepped off.

Every soldier ran to the top of the cliff to look over & watch Mark fall to his death. No one could survive that drop. What was left of the group took advantage of the moment & fled into the forest. They ran down to a small plateau where they had a good view of Mark falling head first. He still had his hands clasped to his chest & seemed to calmly accept his fate.

Suddenly the heavens ripped open & a ray of bright light shone down over Mark as he fell. Like a bolt of lightening, something dropped from the skies & dived. It was a being of light that seemed to have four wings. It slowed under Mark, twisting up to catch him & then flew upwards, pulling him along. They crashed into the next peak, out of sight.

"Let's go!" Jason turned & ran back into the forest, leading the others away.

"But Jason, what about Mark?" One woman asked.

"If the Shepherd says to leave, we leave!" Jason grabbed her hand & pulled her along to disappear the hidden folds of the mountains.

Mark rolled along the ground, coming to a stop under a tree. He shook himself & looked around. Jonathan was just picking himself up, shaking his wings & smoothing back some feathers. Mark slowly stood up. "What took you so long?"

"I didn't think you'd actually do that!" Jonathan half-glared, half-laughed.

Mark rolled his eyes. "It got the rest of my people out of there at least."

"It also saved someone," said Jonathan. "One of those younger soldiers was being initiated & was to get the chip tonight. He has now fled to join your people."

"I need to get back to them," said Mark. "Can you bring me there?"

Jonathan looked to the sky. "The Boss has a little assignment for you first. I'll take you to your cabin so you can drive the car into the city."

"The city?" Mark repeated. "That is the last place a Shepherd should be."

"Unless they are needed there," said Jonathan.

"Why can't you just take me to the city?"

"The assignment isn't there yet," said Jonathan. "Come, we don't have much time." He grabbed Mark's hand & the next thing Mark saw was his old cabin home. The silver car was still covered, parked under a lean-to roof.

Mark looked down the dirt road. Going back to the cities would mean a great risk of being captured. Why did the Boss want him there? All who had chosen His path had fled to the mountains, never to return. He uncovered the car & got in. He drove down the mountain road, finally hitting pavement about three hours later. The civilisation of the New World Order was soon apparent as he drove closer towards a great city. On the outskirts were a few homes, each with an automatic gate that would open with a chip. Mark saw people just hold up their hands & the gates would read them & swing open. Anyone who had joined the Order was given a house & some wealth.

The road changed to a long stretch between the farms & the city gates. Mark suddenly screeched to a stop. Just before entering the city, there were two large platforms on either side of the road, each with several rows of guillotines. Mark could see the blades on the front ones. They were darkened & rusted from use, a true testament to what the Order stood for.

Mark started driving again, expecting to be caught at the gates, but it was Jonathan who was on guard. He rolled down the window & Jonathan leaned in on the frame. "Just head straight on the main road. They still do road checks inside the city. It's been a while since they've caught anyone driving in because few would drive by those weapons."

"Cute Jonathan," Mark grumbled.

"Hurry, there isn't much time," Jonathan said after a laugh. "Your assignment has recently arrived."

Mark drove onward. At the first road check he came across, he slowed to a stop & expected to see Jonathan again. But instead, Order guards were waiting for him. He was dragged out of the car & after being quickly scanned for a microchip, he was hauled off when they discovered he had none.

"Look at this," One guard held up an edge of the cloak. "We've got a Shepherd!"

"Ohh do I have plans for you!" Their leader exclaimed with glee as he shoved Mark into the back of his truck & locked him inside.

Mark went quietly. He wasn't worried, expecting Jonathan to show up somewhere. He thought of how Jonathan had twice mentioned there wasn't much time & wondered what he meant by it. After what seemed like an hour, the truck stopped. Mark waited until the locked clicked back & the door opened. He stepped out easily without having to be told. A quick glance around told him that Jonathan still wasn't there but Mark was still nonplussed. The angel would be somewhere & most likely show up at the last possible second.

Despite his compliance, Mark was led rather roughly into a building. He was brought down some stairs & then tossed into a room with no windows. At the center of it was a chair. Mark dropped into it.

"I like how easy you are to deal with," said his handler. "Hopefully that will mean I can make you talk sooner." He clicked a button on a remote in his hand & the chair grabbed Mark, strapping him in. "Now," the guard went on. "I've been wanting to catch one of you Shepherds for over a year now. What's your name?"

Mark shrugged. "Mark Gordon."

The guard stared. "Of all Shepherds to get, I wind up with you? Everyone was hoping to get you but I'm the lucky man. You're quite famous you know."

"I'm just an ex-cop, nothing more."

"Oh but a whole lot more," The guard said. "You have quite a following of insurgents, more so than most Shepherds. Even other Shepherds speak about you since you've been gathering followers the longest."

"I started the same time as anyone else."

"Oh but you've been going on for longer," The guard disagreed. "You & that other one, Jonathan Smith."

"Jon's not a Shepherd," Mark muttered. "He's an angel."

"An angel. Really?" The guard pushed another button on his remote. Mark felt a volt of pain go through him & realized suddenly that the chair was designed to torture its occupants. The guard switched it off. "Where's your angel now to save you?" He mocked, turning the chair on once more, stronger than before. Mark gritted his teeth against it, focusing on the stuff that he had to help block it out. "Oh he still isn't coming."

"There will be scoffers," Mark quoted allowed to himself.

"You would think if he was an angel, he would come save you," The guard teased. "Where is he now? Where is your Boss?"

"Believe me, you don't want to know," Mark replied after catching his breath. "I'd hate to be you when you meet with either of them."

"Sounds vindictive," The guard said. "Your God coming to get me? I'm going to burn in hell for all of eternity?"

"No on both accounts," said Mark.

The guard blinked. "What do you mean? Isn't He the One who will cast all into eternal torment?"

"The Boss does not 'come to get' anyone," Mark began. "He only comes to rescue His sheep from this place. The rest are left to their own devices. Without Him there is no life. There is also no eternal torment. You won't find that phrase in the ancient scrolls. Modern Bibles, maybe. I don't know. But there is no such thing. The ashen remains of Sodom & her four sister cities are proof of that & Malachi says that the saints will walk onto the new Earth with the ashes being under their feet. So while there is a fire, it is not eternal torment. The wages of sin is death. It is your choice whether you want to live or die."

"Honestly who even wants to live forever?" The guard scoffed. "Live your life to the fullest, then just rest."

"You just proved my point."

"Whatever you say," The guard replied. "Now, you are going to give me the locations of all the little flocks out there that you know of."

"Good luck with that."

"Oh believe me, you will," said the guard. "You will be begging for death before tonight is over but I will only give it once I get what I want from you. Now," He pressed his remote again. "Start talking!"

Mark was kept in the chair for hours but he never gave in. He would silently use the stuff to block out as much pain as possible & was able to withstand the interrogation. His handler was becoming more frustrated & angry with him as time went on. He finally gave up & tossed the remote aside.

"You are exhausting!" The guard complained. Mark just smiled. The guard glared at him. "This isn't over."

The guard dragged Mark out of the room, down two more stairwells, then into an underground lined with cells. A few others were already in three of the cells by the door. Mark was thrown into the middle one where two other younger men were sitting.

"I will be back for you in an hour, so get comfy while you can!" The guard slammed the door & stormed away.

One of the younger men locked in with Mark stood up & grabbed the edge of the silvery cloak. "Are you a Shepherd?" Mark nodded. "I've heard about your type. I'm Derek," he said, looking around. "These people are part of my group. We tried to attack some of the guards who were out on a hunt but we got caught."

Mark remembered that some people who resisted the Order were still not walking in the way of truth & light. Rebels like these would sell Shepherds & their groups to the Order in exchange for handouts & freedoms that were rarely ever given. They could be just as dangerous to the saints as the Order was.

"They want to chip us tomorrow," Derek went on.

"Don't accept it," Mark suddenly understood why he was needed here so quickly.

"We don't have a choice," Derek said. "It's either that or the guillotine! There is one in here with us. Right down the hall. It's a large black one. They showed it to us before throwing us in here so we could think it over."

"It's nothing," said Mark. "You won't even know it happened & your next conscious thought is with the Boss."

"The Boss?" Derek laughed. "Tell me all about this Boss of yours." He had no idea what he was getting into when he asked that. Mark did tell him everything, even pulling out the feather he always kept under his cloak. Derek & his team passed it around.

The door to the cell with Mark was opened & two guards stepped in. "We are going to chip you right now," said one, glancing quickly at Mark who understood. The Order was nervous about having a Shepherd in with some potential members. "Let's go."

"Derek!" Mark whispered. They locked eyes but Mark shook his head quickly.

Derek's people all looked to him & Mark knew they would make whatever choice Derek did. Derek looked around at his team spread out in three cells, then back at the guards. "No," he said as he stepped back next to Mark's side.

Dead silence followed that one simple word. Both guards look stunned. Mark wanted to laugh, knowing a great victory had just been won, but he remained silent. The guards looked at Mark as if it were all his fault, which it was really. They were too late. That one hour had lost them almost a dozen members, now won for the Boss.

"You!" One guard finally moved, grabbing Mark by the collar. "What evil spell did you cast on them?"

"More like removing one," Mark said with a slight huff.

This angered both guards. They dragged Mark out. One took hold of him & pulled him down the hall to two great sliding doors while the other went to call for more soldiers. Mark was led into the large square room with four stone walls & saw the large shining black guillotine with a new blade ready & waiting. Mark was forced to his knees as Derek & his group were dragged passed. Each cast a nervous glance at Mark who could only nod silent encouragement. He, as well as Derek, was forced to watch the beheading of all of them.

"You like this don't you?" One guard taunted Mark.

"Of course not," Mark said. "You are the ones enjoying it. I only find pleasure in what comes after."

"These deaths are your fault."

"I'm not the one wielding the blade!" Mark retorted as Derek was at last put to the blade.

"See you soon Mark!" Derek spoke his final words of the mortal life.

"Yes, we will meet soon," Mark said to himself.

"Sooner than you think!" The guard hauled Mark up & threw him at the base of the guillotine that was now covered in fresh blood. "I've had it with you. It's time for the great Shepherd Mark Gordon to face reality!"

"Only the Boss is the great Shepherd."

"Enough of your words!" The guard shoved Mark under the blade & pulled the lever.

Mark lay on his back so he could see the blade sliding towards his neck. It hit his throat, then poured over on either side like water. Blood & water now drenched the ground just like it had almost two thousand years ago. Mark sighed heavily as the guard shrieked.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE BLADE?!"

Mark sat up. "You can't kill Shepherds!"

Something in the guard snapped. It was as if a demon possessed him. He went mad with rage & took it out on Mark. For the first time in his life, Mark did not fight back. He took it quietly, using the stuff to heal a bit whenever he had a moment. Mark suffered several broken bones from that beating, as well as cracked ribs & a collapsed lung. He was dragged off & thrown into the cell once more. He lay half dead on the floor, focusing hard on healing. Despite the pain & the threat of more interrogation—torture—later, Mark finally relaxed. He figured that Jonathan would come get him out soon now that the assignment was done. It was worth it. He had saved several people by coming here. Now it was time to go home & he knew Jonathan would be sent soon enough. He fell asleep as his body healed as if on fast forward.

In his dream, he saw a large black cloud in the night sky, ringed with light. It was full of thunder & lightening. A voice from the cloud slammed into the Earth. "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, let My people go!"

Mark woke up suddenly & was in the process of wondering why he was dreaming of Old Testament news when suddenly, there was a loud blast of a shofar & the walls of his cell gave way & he was in fact, looking up at the night sky...& there was the great cloud, rolling over itself as if it was made by living creatures. Mark walked out onto the ground. Others were slowly making their way forward, staring in awe. Along the way, Mark passed by some people who were cowering in fear.

Mark stopped walking as he continued to look upwards. The dark cloud was becoming brighter & brighter. A crack in the ground split open right under him, causing Mark to momentarily cast his eyes to Earth. "Ohh!" Mark yelped, jumping aside before he fell into the gorge. Several people rose out of it! Mark shook his head & looked around. People were rising out of the ground all over the place. Even though he wasn't close, his eyes still looked ahead & he could see the ocean disgorging shipwrecks & people were rising into the air right from the waves. Mark waited as the dead rose first, then those who were alive & remained were suddenly caught up to meet the Boss in the air.

"Halleluiah! Jehovah!" The people shouted.

The cloud was made of angels, now glowing brighter as the saints were called in. Mark was suddenly young again as was everyone around him. He found friends & family. He met Derek & his team. Vienna was there as well as those of his group who had been killed earlier that very day. Jason & the rest of them were also there.

Mark looked around at the great golden city of New Jerusalem. It was beyond what he could ever have imagined. He strolled through the streets with friends & family. In the center, the angels clustered around the Boss & Jonathan waved at Mark. Everyone sat down to the home-coming feast & at last, the Boss Himself raised his glass which Gabriel had just filled with new wine. Afterwards, everyone went to explore the city & be reunited with loved ones.

Mark found his wife who had died of cancer many years ago. She was now healed & vibrant. She stood under the Tree Of Life with another woman.

"Linda, is that you?"

"Mark?" Linda Blackwell looked him over. "Nice to see you again, in your OWN body this time!" They shared a sheepish grin. In the mortal world, their souls had switched bodies for a short time, teaching both of them a valuable lesson of respect.

Mark found Jonathan with Jane by a gold fountain that siphoned water from the River Of Life flowing through the city. "Well Kemo Sabe," He was still looking around, gaping. "It is finally finished!"

"Almost," said Jonathan. "We will reign for a thousand years, before Armageddon, then everything will be created anew."

At the end of the thousand years, the rift between the saints & the fallen was once more closed & the two groups clashed with each other. Lucifer & Michael battled it out while angels, holy & unholy, fought with each other. Not a single holy angel was injured or killed but the demons were driven back, away from the golden city. Jonathan was even allowed to dispatch the demon who had hurt Mark in the guillotine chamber & at last, after a thousand years, his temper was made into a righteous anger as he avenged Mark's torment.

As Lucifer & his followers were driven back, the pearly gates snapped shut, locking them out & the saved in. New Jerusalem rose into the air & Mark finally fully understood hellfire. It wasn't that Jehovah was being vindictive, raining down torment. It was because the lost did not want to be saved. They only wanted to steal the rewards but reject the gifts, so the Boss pulled away in sorrow just as they asked him to but without Him, there was no life. The hell & brimstone backfired onto Lucifer, consuming all who were with him, just as he had been told would happen, but neither he nor his followers had heeded the warnings. At the same time, it vindicated all the wrongs done to the saved humans, to the remaining angels who had lost friends with Lucifer's rebellion & even to the Boss Himself.

The renewed Earth, created out of the ashes like a phoenix, had no more scars. All the pollution of mortal humanity both on Earth as well as in the space around it was gone. Pangea was back. The plants & animals that had been extinct were all recreated. The planet was full of life & peace. Everyone could fly to worlds unknown with just a thought, meeting aliens that had never fallen & were now visible to the redeemed.

The redeemed were those who had walked the highway to heaven & endured right to the end.

 _~The end_

* * *

 _ **(AN:**_ _Borrowed a scene from Final Fantasy X.)_


End file.
